Criss-Crossed Hair, High Chignons, And Bright ’80s Lips At Alexandre Herchcovitch Spring 2011
The ebullient colors of the ’80s — think Cyndi Lauper, Miami Vice , and Wham! — informed Alexandre Herchcovitch’s Spring 2011 collection, which was brimming with updated pastels (like a pair of slim, ankle-length, mint green pants), dresses with voluminous balloon sleeves and geometric patterns, and blouses with splatter paint prints. Models rocked platform pumps and sunglasses in shades matching their garments. Even their pouts were painted in electric bright hues — from orange to kelly green and fuchsia —to complement their shoe colors. Similarly, their chignons were styled to accentuate the geometric nature of so many of the clothes.
Rolando Beauchamp led the Bumble and Bumble team backstage, helping to create the ultra high chignons. Beauchamp says he wanted the updos to create an almost cone head-like shape when viewed from a side angle. To start the styling process, the back of the hair was parted in a half moon shape, spanning from ear to ear. The front section of the hair was secured to allow stylists to work freely on the back section. Next, after being sprayed with Bumble and Bumble Holding Spray, the back of the hair was worked into a thick braid, which was then coiled into a bun and secured with pin. And here’s where the fun begins. The front sections of the hair were divided into thick strips and saturated with Holding Spray. The sections of hair were brushed so that they would remain close to the scalp and arranged so that they overlapped and created a criss-cross pattern before being wrapped around the bun and secured with hair pins. The criss-crossing effect, then, harmonized with the geometric prints utilized in Herchcovitch’s pieces.
The makeup look was similarly playful. Philippe Chansel led the MAC Cosmetics team backstage, creating the simple but statement-making look that focused almost exclusively on the lips. Chansel used MAC Sculpt & Shape powders to contour the eyes, bypassing heavy concealer. Next, he applied MAC Strobe Liquid all over models’ visages, so as to give the skin a radiant look. Next, he used MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation and Sculpt & Shape powders to give the skin a fresh, smooth, slightly contoured but natural appearance. No eyeshadow was applied on lids, but lashes were given a bolt of color with MAC Dazzle Lash Mascara in Black Dazzle.
The lips, then, were privy to all the fun here. Models’ pouts were lined and colored in using MAC Chromagraphic Pencils in varying colors like cyan blue, kelly green, peach pink, bright orange, and fuchsia. Next, to give the lips a semi-matte, satin-like finish, MAC Lip Treatment was dabbed gently above the pencil color. One of the most interesting aspects of the overall look was the extent to which all the pieces worked together — whereas it was once considered a faux pas to match your lipstick color to that of your outfit or accessories, at the Alexandre Herchcovitch Spring 2011 show, these outdated conventions were dismissed. In fact, models’ lip colors were chosen so that they would match the shade of the shoes they’d be wearing down the runway. The final look was exciting, quirky, and ultra cool — perfect for more adventurous, thrill-seeking fashion and beauty mavens.
**To hear Rolando Beauchamp and Philippe Chansel discuss the looks they created, check out the videos above.
